Fateful Passages: The Life of Henry Somerville, Catholic Journalist

Susan McKnight is an administrator of the Courts Technology Integrated Justice Project at the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General.

Although he was never a priest, Henry Somerville was a man of God. More
importantly, he was a man of the people. Through his work as a teacher,
journalist, writer, and critic, he promoted ideas and theories that had
a profound effect on the lives of Catholics and others during a
tumultuous period in history.

Joseph Sinasac, publisher and editor of The Catholic Register, traces
the history of Somerville’s life and work through descriptions of the
general historical period in which he lived. (Although little is known
about Somerville’s personal life, Sinasac was able to conduct
interviews with several people who knew him.) Somerville’s views on
the social ills of the day are revealed through his writings in The
Toronto Star, various English periodicals, and, most importantly, The
Catholic Register. His call for social action unfolds through his
descriptions of the North American fear of communism, the Catholic
Church’s stance on fascism, and the working conditions that resulted
from the meteoric rise of capitalism. Somerville clearly believed that a
strong faith and strong social reform policy could go hand in hand.

This engaging book would be a valuable asset for anyone interested in
the social climate of the early 1900s, especially those areas related to
working conditions and social reform.